Plop, plop, fizz, fizz...

Oh what a relief it is to finally reach the end of Julia's State Report year!!!!!!!! In our district, the fourth graders are assigned a state near the beginning of the year which becomes the focus of a lot of their lessons. When it was time to learn the concept of area in Math...they figured the area of their state. When they studied government, they studied the structure of government in their state. When they studied economy, they studied the economy of their state. Slowly, bit by bit throughout the year they compiled note cards with these tidbits of information about their state...and in the last two weeks they had to turn those into a 10 page, double spaced report with bibliography. Ummm and yeah, there was the "Make a food from your State" lunch pot luck, the "Make a T-shirt of your state" assignment, and the ever so impossibly time consuming  "Tri-fold with interactive display" for State Report Night.

Last night was "State Report Night"....FINALLY!!

The night started with a short concert in which they sang...

...and danced to a lovely selection of American songs like the National Anthem, Oh Susannah, The Drinking Gourd, and Route 66. It was held in the gymnasium. The fourth graders on risers in the front quarter of the room followed by HALF of the gym floor blocked off for the dancing portion with a TRILLION parents, siblings, and other extended family members crowded into the remaining quarter. It was another 90 degree day today [because we don't get spring in Chicago...remember?!?!} and as the performance progressed I had an overwhelming urge to stand up and scream, "I'm meeeeelllllltttting" like the witch in the Wizard of Oz. I refrained but there was no hiding the growing sweat rings! Then we headed of into the cafeteria Multi-purpose Room to tour the country...they had attempted to crank the air up in this room but the body count overwhelmed the condenser.

Proud Michigan 'expert' in front of her impossibly time consuming "interactive tri-fold display" and binder of a bazillion facts on the Wolverine State.

Her 'interactive' portion was a complete the map of Michigan challenge.

They all wore their state t-shirts. [The original notes home advised that they should all wear blue jeans this night. Tuesday's homework agenda had a change of dress code note...due to the sudden appearance of summer!] Then, as mid-westerners can relate, the heat storm decided to visit...just as the night's festivities ended!!

Guess who got the privilege of dashing through the bolts of lightening and pounding rain to bring the car around?? I'm smiling because the rain nicely provided an excuse for the sopping wet blouse... because Mom's who sweat "are gross"...so I've been told!!

As quick as it came, the storm left and in it's wake we were treated to a rare rainbow!

As we headed into the local ice cream parlor [hello I was meeeelllltttting!?!?!] the rainbow pushed onward across the sky until it was a complete arc. Julia was convinced one end was by our house so we had to rush home to catch the pot of gold!!! Yesssireee.....I will be going to work tomorrow as usual.